Saturday, March 15, 2014

HC summons authorities for charging higher toll tax

FEROZEPUR: Taking serious note of reports of charging of higher tax from commuters at the two toll plazas on Ferozepur-Fazilka highway, the Punjab and Haryana high court has issued notices to principal secretary (PWD), director, Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) and Chetak Enterprises Private Limited. The case will come up for hearing on April 1, 2014.

Parmod Chaudhary and his brother Vikas Chaudhary of Jalalabad had filed a petition in the HC seeking directions against charging of double the actual toll amount and to the concessionaire to abide by the agreement for development and maintenance of the 84.425km Ferozepur-Fazilka road.

The petitioners also claimed that the Punjab, PIDB and Chetak Enterprises entered into Ferozepur-Fazilka road concession agreement in March 2006. "At the time of signing the agreement, it was mutually decided that the operator company, Chetak Enterprises, would charge a prescribed amount of 0.35 paise per km for entire 84.425km stretch. It was also consented that the operator may add an increase 10% in the prescribed amount annually till 2011. But on the contrary, commuters are fleeced by being charged Rs 92 as one-way toll fee, which is almost double the amount prescribed in the agreement," they alleged. 

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